Fantasy Premier League 2025-26: Everything you need to know about FPL this season

Fantasy Premier League season is upon us which means it's time to re-download the FPL app and begin agonising over which players to draft into your squad for gameweek 1.

Real-world Premier League players earn points in the game for their on-field efforts. What you need to do is select the best and most prolific points scorers for your team while sticking to that £100 million budget.

Water-cooler round-tables in the office, friends and family group chats and mini-leagues will be rife with FPL chatter for the next months. If you're in need of a refresher, worry not, FourFourTwo has you covered. Our handy how-to guide offers everything you need to know about Fantasy Premier League, from team selection to budget management, all essential tips and strategies are included to help you dominate your leagues and succeed in FPL this year.

Getting started

The basics of FPL

So you've agreed to enter a Fantasy Premier League team this season. What is it and what do you need to know?

The ultimate beginners' guide to FPL is right here, providing you with all the tools to get started on building your team. We'll show you how points work, how to buy and sell players, as well as how to navigate the popular app.

First and foremost, you're going to need a team name, which could make or break your season. Of course, "Mike's Team" or "Gary FC" works if you're Mike or Gary, but it's an unwritten FPL tradition to use a pun based on a player, manager, or club. Creative names like 'Löw Island', 'Not Mike Dean Forever' or 'Rutter Woke Nonsense' add to the experience. You might even find yourself cracking a smile at the ingenuity of your mini-league-mates.

Got a bit of writer's block and need some help in the team name department? FourFourTwo has your back there too, with over 600 of the best, worst and rudest team names.

How to sign up for FPL

FPL is played online, at https://fantasy.premierleague.com/ - the game is an official subsection of the Premier League brand.

If you're a beginner, we'd recommend downloading the official Premier League app to play FPL. That's available from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

We've also done a round-up of the other versions of Fantasy Football that can be played online.

How to score points in FPL

Point-scoring is pretty straightforward. Positive actions within games earn your team points, and vice versa. Here's the full guide of how to score points in FPL - anda handy explainer on how the bonus points system (BPS) works, too.

Points fluctuate throughout the gameweek, particularly whilst games are ongoing, but will be finalised once all matches for that gameweek are completed. It's often the case that on Monday evening your team's points tally for the gameweek is finalised, after Monday Night Football, which usually marks the end of any given gameweek.

New rules

You've got the Dua Lipa song stuck in your head now, don't you?

Moving on, there's plenty of new information to get your head around for this season.

Fantasy Premier League bosses (that includes you) now have two sets of bonus chips to use to their advantage throughout the season.

You'll be given a Wildcard, Triple Captain, Free Hit and Bench Boost chip to use in EACH HALF of the campaign. The Assistant Manager chip, which was introduced midway through last season, will not be returning.

You must use your first set of chips before the Gameweek 19 deadline passes. FPL don't allow you to carry them over into the second half of the campaign.

For those of you who finished last season in the top one per cent or top 10 per cent of managers, there are leagues you'll automatically be entered into, to test yourselves against your points tally peers. Exciting.

The definition of an assist in FPL is changing, too. It's been simplified to recognise players for their contributions to goals, even if they don't make the final pass to the eventual goalscorer.

If a player's pass is intended for the recipient who ends up scoring, even if it's taken a deflection off a defender on the way through, FPL will credit the passer with an assist, which wasn't the case before.

Players can also earn an assist in FPL if they win a penalty or free-kick - which goes on to be converted - if they made the last attacking action prior to a handball being awarded. No longer is there a 'forced' element to the handball decision in FPL.

Perhaps the biggest change to Fantasy Premier League this year is the introduction of Defensive Contribution (DC) points.

Players will now pick up additional points for tackles, interceptions, clearances and - in midfielders' cases - recoveries.

Transfers

How to build your Fantasy Premier League team

Different positions earn a different number of points based on their actions during games. This means putting together your Fantasy Premier League team depends on predicting where points are most likely to come from.

Once again, check out our more in-depth how-to guide on scoring points in FPL, if you need a reminder. We also have an explainer on how to structure your team for maximum returns, whether that's big-hitters heavy, or ol' reliable with a staff of tried-and-tested defensive players who pride themselves on clean sheets.

Who should I sign for my team in FPL?

That's the 100 million pound question, isn't it?

Here's a breakdown of the 30 highest points-scoring players from last season to get you on your way.

Be sure to look out for players who've changed positions since last season, too.

What's an FPL wildcard?

A Wildcard in Fantasy Premier League permits FPL managers to make unlimited changes to their team for one week. You can activate it twice a season: think of it as an extra transfer window to sort out injuries or poor form in your squad.

We have a complete guide to 'Wildcarding', including when to use them and how best to maximise the use of this particular bonus chip.

What's a Free Hit in FPL?

A Free Hit is similar to a Wildcard - but it has an important difference so don't be caught out by it. Free Hit is a chip that allows you to make unlimited changes to your 15-man squad but only for one gameweek. Once the final fixture of that round of matches has been played, your squad reverts back to how it was before. This chip is best used for short-term gains. Don't mistake it for your Wildcard!

We have a complete guide to Free Hit, including when to use them and what they're best employed for.

Picking a team

What are bonus chips in FPL?

There are four types of bonus chips that you can use twice in Fantasy Premier League this season. That would be the Wildcard, Free Hit - both used in the transfer section - Bench Boost and Triple Captain (both used in the team-selection area of the game).

Each one of these bonus chips allows you to maximise your points twice a season, offering different bonuses to FPL managers and rewarding strategic risks.

Check out FourFourTwo's complete how-to guide on bonus chips.

Why do I have substitutes in FPL?

Fantasy Premier League substitutes carry out an important function, whether that's covering for injured players in the starting XI or giving your team that little bit extra in reserve.

Click here for a quick explainer on the uses of substitutes in FPL.

What's a Bench Boost?

The Bench Boost chip lets you earn points from your entire squad, including all four of your substitute players, not just your starting XI. It’s one of the special chips you can use twice per season.

For more details on how to make the most of the Bench Boost and why it’s a valuable tool in FPL, check out our complete guide.

FPL leagues

What are FPL leagues?

FPL leagues offer multiple ways to compete against other managers. As shown in the image, every Fantasy Premier League manager is automatically entered into several default leagues, each offering unique challenges and rewards.

First, there's the Overall League, the global competition where all managers are ranked based on their total points across the season. This is the ultimate test of your FPL skills. You're also placed into a Country League, where you compete against other managers from your registered nation.

In addition, the Gameweek League resets each week and highlights the top-performing managers based solely on their points from that specific gameweek. You’ll also be entered into a Club Supporters League. When selecting your favorite Premier League club during registration, you’re added to a league with fellow fans, allowing you to see how you rank among your club’s supporters.

These leagues add variety and motivation throughout the season, giving you targets to aim for; global glory, national pride, or bragging rights among friends and fans.

How do I create an FPL league?

Setting up a Fantasy Premier League mini-league is simple and quick. This season, you also have the option to add a League Cup to your classic league, introducing a knockout-style competition alongside the regular points-based format.

We've put together a step-by-step guide to help you create your league, invite friends, and generate your unique league code to share.

Tips and advice

It's never been about the taking part, has it? Go for glory.

We've got tips to help you rack up a few more points than your pals along the way.

FantasyYIRMA, who have years of experience and even league-winning seasons in Fantasy Premier League, have written a couple of great guides for FFT on how to get ahead of your mates. There are simple tricks to follow, believe it or not...

FantasyYIRMA's guide of essential tips to master Fantasy Premier League is a must-read for you - whatever your experience or skill level. There, you'll find curated ideas from former winners along with all the best answers for the questions you have ahead of another brand-new FPL season.

Looking for that fast start to get a quick stride over your rivals? Then you'll need FantasyYIRMA's guide of how to get FPL points early in the season, which debunks a few myths and confirms a few biases.

It needn't be as hard as it seems some weeks...

More Fantasy Premier League stories

You can play Fantasy Premier League online on the Premier League website, or on the Premier League app, which is available on iOS and Android. Still missing something? Here's everything you need to know about FPL, including FourFourTwo's guides on the game. Enjoy!